“Exchange visitor” is a regulatory term of art for international citizens who come to the US on a J-1 visa. There are over a dozen J-1 categories, but the most common at UAB are Research Scholar, Short-Term Scholar, Alien Physician, Student, and Student Intern. While paid employment is allowed as a benefit incidental to holding J-1 immigration status, J-1 status is not strictly for employment, meaning that the exchange visitor's primary purpose in the US is for short-term study, research, or training.
According to the US Department of State, which oversees all J-1 exchange visitor programs nationwide, J-1 opportunities exist "to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange." The Department of State expects J-1 Exchange Visitors to return to their home country at the end of their research or training opportunity to share the knowledge they acquired in the US.
At UAB, a J-1 exchange visitor may be classified as a Postdoctoral Employee, Postdoctoral Trainee, Resident, Fellow, or Visiting Scholar. Depending on the exchange visitor's job assignment category, the process will begin either here in ISSS (for 20/21 appointments as Postdoctoral Employees and Trainees and for 07 appointments as Residents/Fellows) or via the Visiting Scholar process (for 02/04/60 appointments). Even if the journey to UAB begins via the Visiting Scholar process, administrators still must liaise with ISSS for issuance of a J-1 immigration document (Form DS-2019) if the Visiting Scholar will need a J-1 visa to enter the US.
